Christmas Is
by Nephthys Snape
Summary: Written for a contest back in December. Ibiki doesn't like the holidays, but for a certain chuunin, he'll suffer through them. And, maybe, realize what he is missing. Yaoi.


Disclaimer - Not mine. Belong to Kishimoto. IMO, one of the luckiest guys on the planet. Wish I could say I own all those hot guys. pouts

Christmas Is

Ibiki hated the holidays. All the noise, the bustle, the crowds. Most importantly, the distractions from duties. The deviations from the normal routine that were overlooked simply because of the day it was. It irritated him to no end. To the point he was grouchy and downright rude, even to the hokage herself. Which hadn't gone over well with the older woman. The lump on his head proved that.

What was worse, he had to go home and help decorate. A thought that made him sneer and send a few nin, jounin and genin alike, scattering as he stormed out of hokage tower. It was something he had never done before. But, his lover of the last seven months, the last three of which they had lived together, insisted that he help decorate, or else. An 'or else', when it came to Iruka, was a scary notion. He really didn't need _another_ lump on his head, or any other injury his creative lover would think to bestow.

So, against his wishes, he headed home. The first thing he noticed, as he opened the door, was the soft holiday music playing in the background. Then came the heavenly sweet smell coming from the kitchen. Their small house was warm and cozy, as always. He hung up his coat and removed his vest and sandals then made his way to the kitchen.

"Iruka?" He called as he entered, not seeing the man at first. A 'hmm' from behind the counter led him to the other side, and he smirked at the sight of his lover bent over, head in a cabinet. He watched for a few moments before a curse brought him out of his fantasies involving the sexy round ass before him. "What are you looking for?" He asked, leaning back against the fridge and watching the smaller man.

"My cookie cutters," came the muffled response. "I know I packed them with the rest of the kitchen stuff." He sat back on his heels with a sigh. "I can't find them anywhere." The pout on his face was so adorable, Ibiki couldn't help but smile.

"Are they with the rest of your holiday stuff?" He crossed his arms, watching the chuunin. Honestly, Ibiki couldn't recall having ever seen any cookie cutters in the kitchen. There had been a bunch of extra utensils and other such things they'd boxed up and donated, but as far as he knew there hadn't been any . . . Wait. Come to think of it, he did remember seeing some odd shaped green and red plastic things that, at the time, he hadn't realized what they were. Uh oh. Best not to tell his lover what had happened to them.

"No, I wouldn't have put them there." Iruka sighed and stood up. "I'm just going to have to go get new ones."

"Why don't I go while you start decorating?" Ibiki asked hopefully. For one, he'd been the one to do away with the others and felt it his place to find the best cookie cutters in the village for his chuunin. On the other hand, he also wanted as far away from decorating as he could get, even if only for a short while.

"Can you get us a tree while you're out?" Iruka gave him his biggest, sweetest, most innocent smile as he walked up to the ANBU and placed his hands on Ibiki's crossed arms. "A really big one with lots of branches and needles?" His eyes pleaded and begged like those of a puppy might.

"I'll see what I can do," he relented with a sigh, having no idea what to look for in a Christmas tree. He supposed he would just have to hope for the best, or find someone to do it for him. There were an endless number of people who owed him, or he had dirt on. Yes, he could get someone to choose the biggest and best for him.

"Thank you!" Iruka threw his arms around the larger man's neck, kissing him like his life depended on it. The chuunin knew Ibiki hated Christmas, and that he knew little about it other than what irritated him. It had become his mission to make the bear of a man enjoy at least one Christmas, especially since he was going through so much trouble to try for Iruka's sake. Knowing that made Iruka all warm and tingly inside.

Ibiki moved his arms to hold his small lover to him, smiling after their kiss. "I'll get you a dozen if you keep kissing me like that." His voice was a husky rumble in Iruka's ear, making the smaller of them shiver in pleasure.

"One will do, but if you're good, I might just give you more than a kiss later." He gave the jounin a smirk. "That means decorating cookies with me, decorating the tree with me, and decorating the rest of the house, inside and out, with me." Iruka poked him in the chest at each thing he had to help with. "And, no complaining while doing it." He gave a saucy smirk.

"The things I do just to get you in bed," Ibiki muttered, earning a wallop on the head. "Ow! I've got a knot up there, be careful."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "You can take it." He poked him in the chest again. "What did Hokage-sama hit you for this time?"

"I told her to fuck off," he mumbled so low Iruka barely made it out. Ibiki rolled his own eyes when his lover started snickering. "It's not funny. Do you know what that one sentence could have done to my career? I hate this time of year."

"You can't blame the time of year on your choice of words. It was probably Christmas spirit that got you off so lightly." 'Yeah, right,' Iruka thought. The snort from Ibiki mirroring his thoughts. Tsunade just had a soft spot for Ibiki, knowing how difficult life could be without him around.

"Well, if it wasn't for this time of year, I wouldn't have said it," Ibiki argued valiantly, and in vain. Iruka almost always won their debates, a feat not lost on the interrogation and torture expert. He often thought he should recruit Iruka to work for him. The chuunin's sassy mouth and vindictive spirit, when he felt he or others were wronged, were matched by few.

"Just go get the tree and cutters. I'll get started sorting out the lights for outside and the tree. You can test them when you get back." He gave a big knowing grin that Ibiki found foreboding, but he simply nodded before bestowing a kiss to his chuunin and going to pull his discarded attire back on.

- - - - - - -

Ibiki easily found and bought enough cookie cutters for five households, but he wanted to get Iruka one of everything, not knowing just what it was his lover wanted. So, Iruka was getting them all. It was less hassle than choosing one or two, or even a few.

Next, Ibiki headed to the closest tree lot. After glancing around as inconspicuously as possible, he decided none of the trees were good enough. He either had to go find somewhere else or, and he felt rather ingenious at the idea, grow one just the way he wanted it, to Iruka's specifications. Not exactly grow it himself, but he knew just the guy to see about doing so.

The ANBU commander found his prey at the ramen stand with Naruto, trying to convince the boy to eat something healthier, to no avail. Neither of them noticed his approach until he set his hand down on Yamato's shoulder. The younger man jumped at the sudden contact, whirling around to face Ibiki. Naruto grinned up at the scarred man before returning to his food, happy for the cease in the lecture he had been getting.

"Morino-san, what can I do for you?" Yamato asked tentatively. Ibiki rarely sought people out unless he required something, or was going to cause that person some sort of grief, generally in the form of a painful or tedious task.

"You're going to grow me the perfect Christmas tree," he answered with a serious tone and expression.

"I'm going to what?" Yamato blinked. Had the other man gone round the bend? He knew Ibiki hated Christmas. Everyone did.

"You heard me," the larger man growled. He had neither the patience nor the time to repeat himself.

Naruto turned to them with a smirk. "Iruka-sensei's making him get a tree and decorate," he elaborated for his team leader. "Which is cool, because I don't have to lug boxes around for him this year. He makes granny Tsunade look like an angel when it comes to Christmas decorations."

Ibiki grunted softly, not commenting on that foreboding comment. He could handle Iruka if he got out of hand, he told himself. And, if things got too bad, he knew just where to acquire help. In fact . . . "Thank you for volunteering in helping me get the tree back to Iruka, Uzumaki."

"What? No way! Iruka will make me stay and help!" He whined loudly, giving Ibiki the sourest face he could muster.

"Tough." He looked from the teen to Yamato. "Tree. Now." Crossing his arms and glaring, it was obvious he was not backing down. "A tall one with lots of branches and thick needles."

"This is an abuse of my abilities," Yamato muttered before standing and finding a suitable location in the street to sprout the perfect Christmas tree. "This is a one time thing. I'm not becoming some 'go to guy' for Christmas trees," he informed Ibiki. He felt used.

Ibiki and Naruto watched as, slowly, a tree grew. The finished result was a seven-foot pine with lots of branches and needles so thick you couldn't see more than a few inches into the depths of the tree. "Perfect." Ibiki nodded, using his chakra to cut the tree down. "Grab the other end, kid."

"But, my ramen . . . "

"Iruka's going to be making cookies," Ibiki appeased him, not surprised when Naruto had the other end of the tree so fast he could have left heads spinning. Yamato shook his head at them, muttering about Naruto's unhealthy eating habits as he, not having any other choice, paid for the teen already walking away with Ibiki and the tree.

- - - - - - -

Iruka had sorted out all the lights, and was putting the cookie dough into the refrigerator to cool, when Ibiki and Naruto hauled the tree inside. He lit up like . . . well . . . a Christmas tree when his eyes landed on the beautiful fir. "It's perfect!" He tackled his lover with a hug and a kiss that left Naruto wishing to be anywhere but there and witnessing it.

"Where do you want the tree, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto spoke before they could start groping. He really didn't want to see that.

Iruka walked over to the boy and ruffled his hair, kissing him on the head. "In the corner, by the fireplace."

Naruto nodded, heading that way with the tree dragging behind him. "Where's the stand?" He called as he got it where it was going.

"In one of the boxes." Iruka smiled, heading in to help the boy. "Start checking the lights, Ibiki." At the look his lover gave him, he chuckled. "Plug them in and see if they light up. If they don't, see if there are any loose ones, then check the fuses, then the bulbs, if you have to."

Ibiki twitched, literally twitched, then heaved a sigh and set about doing as told. The last thing he wanted was an annoyed Iruka on his hands. Hopefully, by the time he finished, the other two would have most of the decorating done.

- - - - - - -

Three hours later, Ibiki finally finished getting all the lights working. If he _never_ saw another string of lights, it would be too soon. Thankfully, they were all that was left to go up besides tinsel and ornaments on the tree. He was nearly done with this whole ordeal. With Naruto's help, the lights went up outside quickly, Iruka stringing the tree while they were outside.

Next, came tinsel then the ornaments. The three worked together, Naruto and Iruka singing carols as they put the ornaments on the tree. No amount of pouting and cajoling was getting Ibiki to sing. His lover could kick him out into the cold, he was not singing. When he told Iruka as much, the hurt look the chuunin wore made him curse internally.

"Fine, one song," he relented with an irritated sigh. His reward was a box of ornaments being thrust his into his arms and Iruka storming into the other room. He gave Naruto a confused look, but all Naruto offered was a small shake of his head. Heaving another sigh, he set the box aside and followed the chuunin. "Iruka?" He called hesitantly.

"Go away." Iruka snapped as he dug out things to make frosting for the cookies. Bottles of sprinkles (in many sizes and shapes), non-pariels, colored sugar crystals, edible glitter, candy writers, luster dust, cinnamon drops, and gum drops covered the table along with frosting bags and tips; not that Ibiki knew what half of the stuff actually was. It seemed Iruka took cookie making very seriously.

"I'm sorry, Iruka," he moved to the younger man's side. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just . . . I can't sing." He flushed lightly. Granted, he'd never actually tried, but he was certain he wouldn't be able to if he did.

Iruka glared at him a few more moments before sighing and kissing him softly. "Where are the cutters?"

"By the door." He smiled, glad he was forgiven, and left to retrieve them.

Iruka didn't know what to think when Ibiki handed over two bags full of cookie cutters. Half of them weren't even for Christmas, but apparently his lover didn't know that. He gave him a curious look at the amount. "I, uh, didn't know what to get, so I got one of everything." Only Iruka could make him blush and act almost timid.

"You're so sweet." Iruka gave him another sweet kiss before setting about cleaning the ones he would use. The rest he set aside to see to later. "Get Naruto and we'll start cutting out and decorating cookies."

Ibiki did as bid, returning a moment later with an eager Naruto. "No eating the dough before it's baked, and no eating the cookies until they are cool." Iruka informed the teen while waggling a finger at him, earning a pout from the kyuubi vessel. "You heard me."

"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Naruto answered forlornly.

"Good." He smiled brightly and set about getting everything ready. The three of them spent the next few hours decorating and baking twenty-five dozen sugar cookies. Iruka needed some for his class, as well as some to take to the missions desk. Others he would use for gifts, leaving the rest to be eaten at home by himself and Naruto, doubting Ibiki would like the sweet treat.

At one point, Iruka and Ibiki both caught Naruto with a sad look on his face as he stared at a cookie he was decorating. It didn't take either long to notice the man shaped cookie resembled a certain Uchiha male down to the little fan design on its shirt, the red eyes, and the black hair. Iruka hugged the boy to him, kissing his head and holding him until Naruto wiggled free and plastered on his normal happy fake smile. Both adults did their best after that to distract him.

After cleaning up, and sending Naruto home with two dozen cookies of his own, Iruka made hot cocoa and curled up with Ibiki in front of the fireplace; their only light coming from it and the tree twinkling in the corner.

"Do you think you can handle this every year?" Iruka asked his silent lover. The larger man had been staring into the fire for a long time without saying a word.

Ibiki turned to look at the younger man. "I can handle anything, with you." He gave him a soft, warm smile that only Iruka, and by association Naruto, had ever seen. He was open around them like he was around no one else. "Maybe . . . maybe I can even learn to like doing it. I know I would feel like Naruto does about Sasuke if I was stuck without you. And, seeing everyone else with those they love, doing so many things together as families, lovers, friends . . . It makes me glad to have you. Hell, I'm even glad to have that brat around anymore," he added with a shake of his head.

"Do you miss Idate?" Iruka asked softly, out of the blue.

Ibiki blinked at him, startled by the sudden mention of his brother. "He's happy where he is, and can never . . . "

"Don't give me that shit. He could and you know it, if he wanted to," Iruka gave him a sour look as he cut him off.

"Maybe," he relented. "But right now, all that matters is you and me." He leaned over and kissed him. "Idate is happy, and I am proud of him."

Iruka nodded, running his fingers along Ibiki's jaw. "I think there was a matter of reward for you being a good boy." He smirked.

"Yes, I believe there was." He grinned, setting aside their hot chocolate. "But right now, I think I'll just settle for this." He pulled the other man into his arms and held him, covering them with the quilt from the back of the couch.

Iruka was more than happy to snuggle with the large man. He felt safe and secure in his arms. Like nothing in the world could reach him, hurt him. He felt loved and protected like nothing else ever made him feel. And, even if Ibiki could never see Christmas as he did, he would always share his love of the holiday with the jounin.

To him, that's what Christmas was.

Sharing love with everyone, even if they didn't want your love, didn't love you back or even hated you. Loving them even if they were total strangers. Giving gifts, even if you didn't receive. Helping others, who couldn't help themselves. Touching hearts that had no one else to turn to.

To him, Christmas was sacrifice. A sacrifice he would gladly make again and again. No matter how great or how small.


End file.
